-- A vote to put a $2 billion high-tech measure on the ballot will be taken in the Ohio House in two weeks, even if the measure appears doomed to fail, Speaker Jon Husted said Tuesday.

The unusual step -- a majority- party leader calling for a vote even when the outcome is uncertain -- indicates a clear rift in discussions between Republican and Democratic leaders. They hope to reach a compromise to get the Third Frontier initiative on the November ballot.

"They think it is going to fail and want to blame the Democrats," said Sen. Marc Dann, a Youngstown Democrat who offered to help Republicans win House Democratic votes for the measure.

"I think the people of the state of Ohio are smarter than Husted thinks they are," said Dann. "If this thing fails, it is because of the party in charge. It is because they won't negotiate with us."

As a voter, I oppose the two issues being combined. Combining an unpopular proposal with a popular proposal happens too often in the legislature. Doing it in public referenda is even worse, and this would set a bad precedent.

Of course, I oppose Taft's entire Third Frontier concept to begin with. I hope the Dems hang tough and oppose. There are enough Reps opposed to it to give the Dems control on the issue.

Not true. The Third Frontier was voted down by the public. They are not going to like it when it is stuck on the ballot again. I fear the public works bill will go down with the Third Frontier. Separate the two. Why would anyone want to trust the Taft administration with money?

4. After reading Fingerhut's book, I was in favor of the Third Frontier

I lamented having voted against it. Ohio needs something to stimulate research and development and get its urban areas to be economically active again. We cannot do that with just retail distribution centers and sports stadiums.

Now that stem cell research money is back in the proposal, I support Third Frontier. However, I support the infrastructure bill even more. If Third Frontier drags down the the public works part of the bill, we are really doomed.

I don't think the public is going to support Third Frontier. Separate the two issues.

...so I agree. The legislature has a Third Frontier proposal with a "controversial" stem-cell research provision that they decided to tie to the public works funding. I don't think they could make it much more complicated. Those legislators are idiots.

That makes Third Frontier acceptable to me. But read this story about it. Now the republicans may try to vote down Third Frontier. If they do, and if public works is still in the bill, we will be in deep doo doo. There will be no highway, bridge, etc. money in the budget.

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